00:00No strike action. We are concerned about the children. They are now doing tests and we have decided not to
00:08strike, but we are in solidarity and in full support of the strike. And I'm hoping that it can have
00:14some effect on Tobago.
00:16Executive member of the Tobago Maxi Taxi Association, Anthony Bruce, said previous late payments have affected his credit rating at
00:25a financial institution.
00:27So we have no respect at the banks, the financial institutions. When we go there, simply to upgrade our units
00:35or to purchase a new unit, there's always this issue of the shortfall and untimely payments.
00:45They, who are in authority, they promised us that they're going to do better. And I am really looking forward
00:52for them to do better. And this is untenable. Our credit rates have fallen.
00:58President of the Tobago Maxi Taxi Association, Cloyd Williams, told the TV6 News he is hopeful longstanding concerns would be
01:07addressed in a meeting with the Division of Education next week.
01:11Of course, there's quite a number of issues in terms of payment, late payment, non-payment. And these are low
01:18-hanging fruits that have been mentioned to the Tobago House of Assembly for quite a number of years and there's
01:25no improvement.
01:26As a matter of fact, we met with all the secretaries, education secretaries for the Tobago House of Assembly and
01:31nothing has been done.
01:32And I'm glad that they plan to address the matter. There's a planned meeting for next Monday with the Secretary
01:39for Education. And these are some of the issues that we are going to deal with.
01:43He said adjustable rates ought to be looked at.
01:47Some of the areas, let us say that, which is maybe $10 from Mason Hall to Scarborough, we are working
01:54for $9 and $8 and that kind of thing. So I'm hoping that we can reconcile this and bring everything
01:59together so that we all can benefit.
02:02Not only we, but the Tobago House of Assembly.
02:05Maxi-taxi drivers in Tobago protested before Easter, citing late payments of salaries. However, at this time, payments are up
02:13to date.
02:13There's no outstanding right about now because I think that they're trying their best so far. Right? We had a
02:21thing before Easter. We strike the Monday. They pay us the Wednesday. And the week before Easter, they give us
02:30the one before.
02:31And it was so nice to see that this month now finished. And it was paid for April for about
02:37the 20th of its last month starting. Right? Yeah. So we get paid for April in the middle of last
02:45month. So it was quite pretty. All right.
02:47Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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